Sunshine is Brief
by CrowMarrow
Summary: The thing about the past, is that it doesn't stay there. It's always present, clinging to your skin like tar. It is the experiences that shapes you, that steers you down one path or another, for better or worse. Kuroko makes a habit of not looking back. He isn't given much of a choice when the past appears right in front of him. Warnings inside.


Hi. Don't know what this is or why it's the first thing I post here.  
Don't know how graphic things are going to get, but at the very least things will be strongly alluded to, if not outright described.

 **Sexual abuse** is a strong theme in this story so if it's not something you can handle, please leave for your own safety.

Don't know if I'll finish this, don't know when I'll update.  
Here it is.

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Perhaps if they were strangers, Kuroko would have thought of him as handsome.

He's grown taller, dyed his hair strawberry blond and let it fall messily around his ears. He looks quite different from how he used to appear, but he will always be hauntingly familiar to Kuroko, who sees him in the faces of complete strangers.

Kihara Hinata.

He hopes, prays that he won't be recognized, but Kuroko himself has hardly changed, and he doubts Kihara would forget his face after all they've been through.

He s supposed to have fun this week.

It's a training camp, so Kuroko hadn't naïvely thought that they'd be cracking open watermelons on the beach, but at no point in his life had he thought that their paths would cross again.

The moment their eyes meet, a sweeping cold chills Kuroko to the bone.

He is hot. He is trembling. He is nauseous. He is lining up to greet the varsity team they'll be sharing the training camp with.

"Eh? Kuroko-kun?" His hazel eyes shine with excitement as he leans uncomfortably close, completely forgoing the handshake he was about to initiate with Hyuuga. He had attempted to quietly hide behind his captain and hoped Kihara would ignore him, but that was a foolish wish. He should say something, anything, but his mouth is sealed shut. He can feel everyone's questioning eyes on him like roaming fingers and anxiety churns in his gut as violently as the bile that threatens to rise past his lips.

Kihara cocks his head like a curious bird. "That is you right? Kuroko Tetsuya?"

He's not sure how he does it, but suddenly he snaps back into himself. He doesn't even have to fight to keep his voice even when he says, "And you are?"

Kihara puts on a wounded expression, hand over heart. "It's me, Hinata-nii. I used to baby sit you when you were seven, remember?"

When he was six actually.

"I can't recall."

Kihara sighs. "That's disappointing." and just as Kuroko begins to hope that this is the end of it, Kihara continues on to say, "Hey, you still live in the same house, right? Maybe I should drop by for dinner next week, I'm sure your parents would remember me. Not that you still need to be baby sat, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind having me over again."

No.

Kuroko isn't sure if that was a threat or a promise, but clearly if he doesn't start playing along Kihara is going to do as he pleases anyway. "Ah...wait. I...yes, I think I remember now. Kihara Hinata correct?"

"Yeah! I knew you wouldn't forget me!" He cheers, then slips his way behind Hyuuga to invade Kuroko's personal space, using his longer reach to pull Kuroko into a hug. Disgust rears up so violently that Kuroko can't stop himself from shoving Kihara off of him, which sends him stumbling back into one of his teammates. Before anyone has a chance to comment beyond a surprised yelp, Kuroko says, "My apologies Kihara-san, but I dislike people in my personal space. I miscalculated my strength, are you alright?"

"No worries. You used to love hugs thought," Kihara whines, but then suddenly perks up. "So you're into basketball now? Crazy coincidence we'd meet here huh? You're a first-year in high school, right?" With every question Kihara shuffled a bit closer until he was back into Kuroko's space.

Kuroko leans back. "I am." It's an unfortunate coincidence.

Kihara turns to Riko, bringing Kuroko back to awareness of all the people who have been watching. "Can I have him? I wanna teach him some stuff."

One of Kihara's teammates speaks up then, a rather tall man with a buzz cut. "Hey dumbass, we have to practice too."

Kihara laughs sheepishly. "I'll figure it out with the coaches when we get there. C'mon, let me have him, I've got tons of experience." Kuroko doesn't like the fact that he's being asked for like an object. Something to be rented for the evening and returned.

He can tell by the gleam in her eyes that Riko is excited by the prospect of having a university-level player taking an interest in their team, but he's incredibly grateful that she restrains herself. "Kuroko-kun's playing style doesn't mesh well with regular training methods. And if your coach finds the arrangement agreeable, I have no problem making some time for these sessions, but in the end it's Kuroko-kun's decision. He would know best if there's something to gain from this."

A part of him appreciates the fact that Riko let him have the last say, but a smaller part resents her for forcing him to condemn himself. There is no good reason for him to turn down this opportunity, especially when offered by a familiar face who he should want to catch up with. If it had been anyone else on that team offering to teach him, he would've jumped at that opportunity just as eagerly as any of his teammates would, but it's Kihara.

"...I would be honoured if you are willing to teach me."

It's been ten years. Maybe they've out grown each other.

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Thanks for reading, reviews and such are appreciated but take care of yourself first.


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